Dispensing device for granular materials



' July 29.. 1924.

c. w. LANPHERE DISPENSING DEVICE FOR GRANULAR MATERIALS Filed June 27 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR H15 ATTORNEY July 29. 1924.

C. W. LANPHERE DISPENSNG TSEVI'CE FOR GRANULAR MATERIALS Filed June 27. 1923 2 Sheen-Sheet 2 Til - them' in position,

Patented July 29, 1924s,

i Epica cuve w. mamans, @ausw vom, a. Y,

'nrsriiivsrne nnvicn roza ernannten Ma'rnnizans.

Application flied' rune 27, 1923. seriai no. 648,025.

ventiomsuch as will enable-others skilled in the artto .which it appertains to make and use the same. f i -I- f-.f i

, Ina pendingzapplication iledby me July 1, 1922, Serial No. 572,120, there is disclosed a device for.- ckiiitainingl and dispensing granular materials, such as sugar, which compiisesa magazine having one or more sockets, each provided with an inlet openingfioiii` the magazine chamber and an out-v let openinggca measuring spindle rotatably fitted .in each of the sockets-y and having a pocket which is shiftable, upon rotation of thespindle, from the inlet opening to the outlet. opening; .a stirring .spindle in the magazine chamber yfor keeping the granular material inailoosenedcondition to insure its ready discharge from. the magazine; and a removable lcover 'forthe magazine having openingsthrough which the-upper endsv ofY the-spindles project to be grasped and operatedybythe user., g., A

, ln the device ofmyra,foresaid applica-V tion,.the stirring and ineasuring. spindles are'loosely seated inthe'magazine Vwithout theemployment of any meansfor locking andit has been found in practice. that this method of parts is objectionable in` that thespindles becomeV readily displaced, and therefore liablefto loss, lin,the ordinary handling. of`

the devices; This displacement is particularly` objectionable in thecase of the measuring spindles, as any upward displacement of these from` their seats permits the.Y contents of the magazine to yflow orleak outwardly ,under the same and so becomeflost. Asto the stirring spindle, any upward displacement of this from its seat tends to interferelwith its. ,proper operation because of the sugar or otherlmaterial in the ymagazine .becoming lodged beneath the Same. VIt hastherefore been one of the objects of my presentv invention.. to provide a means'for locking the-spindles in operative connection with. the maga-zine, and which means assembling the.

willbe of a character to ,pei-'mit of fthe; ready assembling: Aof the parts, and-1 also of their ready disassembling forcleaning and vlike purposes;

A Vfurther object of .-presentrinvention is the Vprovision of means forwelfecting` anni form distribution-.of the materialover a somewhat extendedlarea asit: is discharged from the; device, thereby making the lattergespecially .useful in dispensing( sugardirectlyf on fruit., cereals., etc., which are served in relatively..,wide;shallow dishes.,

, These objects, andanth rs to ferredto, arey attained the, novela fea' tures of Y.construction and combinations-,of pa rts hereinafter described and claimed, .and which .are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which, fAV i. Fig. 1 is atop Vplan view offa dispensing device embodying niy.invention; A g

Fig. 2, aside elevation of the device; Fig. 3, a central vertical section of the device, taken on theline 3-13 of Fig.v l;y

Fig. 4,- aninvertedplamview of the cover removed from themagazine;

Fic'. 5 a sectional detail showinmthe loch- 22 1 n. e ing connection between one of themeasuring spindlesand the magazine,.the section being` taken,Y on ,line of i i r Figs. 6, 'i' andrS are details of a cover locking. means'to be hereinafter referredto. To explain in detail, 10 indicates-the body ofY 'the magazin@ which; is generallyylindrioalin form andinounted ,on a supporting base llQ This magazine maybe-,provided with oneor more measuring and dispensing devices, the same in the present instance being provided with four. VAs'these are all of, likeconstruction and operation, `a detailed description of one will suliicefor all.

Each measuring and dispensing device comprises a verticallyarranged cylindrical socket 15 formedin the. side of the magazine and having an inletopening y16 lat its lowerV end communicating with the magazine chamber 12, and `an .oppositely arranged outlet or v,discharge opening 17. Loosely fitted `in this socket for rotative movement is a spindle18 having formed in. one side .thereof a pocket 19. which.,` is adapted to be shifted, by a rotative movement of the spindle, from a position opposite theinlet opening lwhere* it will receive the material in the magazine chamber, to afpof sition opposite the outlet opening where it openings 16 in its side walls and lill the pockets in the spindles 18, I provide a stirring spindle 20 which is mounted in the magazine chamber on a centrally located bearing post 21 and provided with laterally projecting stirring arms or blades 22. This stirring spindle 20, and also the measuring and dispensing spindles 18, lall project at their upper ends, as at 23,'through openings in the removable'magazine cover 25, wherethey may be readily grasped and operated by the user. Y

As hereinbefore stated, it has been found desirable to lock the several spindles in connection with the magazine .to prevent, their accidental withdrawal or disconnection therefrom, and'in doing this,.it is desirable that the means for effecting locking connection should be such vas to permit of the ready disconnection of the spindles for cleaning and like purposes. The means for so locking the stirring spindle'in connection with the magazine comprises an inwardly turned locking finger 30 at the lower end of the spindle engaging an annular overhanging shoulder 31 on the bearing post 21, as shown in Fig. 3, this means acting to hold the spindle against withdrawal. from the niagazine while permitting ofy its rotation on the bearing'post 2 Asshown in Fig. 8, the upper end of the bearing post 21 is made convex and the lower endof the` spindle is made correspondingly concave, so as to form a socket-like joint between the parts. This prevents lateral displacement of the lower end of the spindle on the post 21 when held vertically in connection with the latter by the locking finger 30. To effect disconnection of the spindle from the post 21, the spindle must be tilted at an angle to the vertical to thereby shift its locking finger 31, 'as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3, in which 'position it is free to be withdrawn from the magazine. This tiltingof the spindle can only be effected by removing the coverfrom the magazine yand so freeing the upper endy of the spindle.. To replace the spindle in klocking connection with the post 21`,j`itf is of course only necessary to reverse the :order of yoperation followed in removing iti' VWith such locking means, it will be clear that the spindle may be readily refrom beneath the shoulderv moved for cleaning and other like purposes, and that ywhen it is connected with the bear` ing post and the cover placed in position, it will be positively locked in its operative connection with the magazine.

l will next describe the means for locking the measuring and dispensing spindles 18 within their containing sockets 15. This comprises a pin 40 on the inner wall of the socket engaging an annular shoulder 41 on the spindle, which shoulder is formed by a peripheral groove 42 on the said spindle. As a means for bringing said shoulder and pin into locking relation, the spindle is) formed with a longitudinal groove 43` eX- tending from its lower end to a point intersecting the annular groove 42, through which the pin is passed to permit lowering of the spindle into its socket. After the spindle has been seated and its shoulder 41 brought to a position beneath 'the plane of the pin 40, itis then given a partial rotation to bring said shoulder beneath the pin, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, thereby locking the spindle against withdrawal from its socket.

The spindle is limited in its rotative movement. when the cover is removed from the magazine, by means of a lug 44 thereon engaging with stop shoulders 45, 45, at the upper end of the spindle containing socket. These shoulders, in accordance with the present invention, are located sufliciently farV apart to permit of a rotative movement of the spindle in excess of its normal movement in shifting its receiving pocket 19 fromy the inlet opening of the socket to the outlet opening. This excess movement of the spindle is for the purpose of permitting the longitudinal groove 43 therein l being brought into registry with the pin 40 for the release of the spindle, at a point beyond the limit of movement of the spindle in its normal operation. With this arrangement of the parts, .after the spindle has been seated in its socket and given a partial rotation to bring its shoulder 41 beneath the pin 40, the cover is placed on the magazine and this is provided with a lug 47 on its under side which is positioned adjacent the shoulder 45, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and acts to so limit the rotative movement of the spindle in a direction toward the pin 41 as to prevent its groove 43 being brought into registry with said pin.. llt will thus be understood that when the cover is on the magazine, its lugs 47 will cooperate with the lugs 44 on the spindles in a manner to maintain Jthe latter in locked connection with the magazine, and upon the removal of the cover to withdraw its lugs from position for engagement with the spindle lugs, the spindles are then free to be given the additional .turning movement necessary to bring their longitudinal grooves into regby i.

' thev femoral .er `the spindles 1iroin i' the magazine. It may the 'posible e ,Y .e

oi1 inverted U-shape, W` ich is the so desiredv` orbe appliedto oiieddr r srry were@ loekh'g SOQktS- i v i rue several spindles, "aeseriba, are maintained in locled`ciiiiectin with the thro-ugh the instrumentality et u1@ am. y if nl@ naar eeers abciaaaauy removed, the "spindles are freeft'o lbe 'reable, inwsoine uses of vtheidlevieea toloclrtlie cover in place in `lordier to hiaiii'tain the locked "conneetion or the spiiidles. As a simple and eiicectiye` means for doiiig this7 provide oneogt the spindles-jin the present case the central stirring s'pindle-yirith Ia collar detachably locked thereon in positionior engaging the tp of the cover, and serving, b'ecauee df theloeledcoiinec tion of the lovvere'nd dfthespiii'dle with 'tl're riiagazine, to lock tlie"`cover inplace. Asha means for efectii'igtl'ie ready eonnection vof this @011er 5o with the Spindle, and its disceiinectin. therefrom, I provide the cllai' with one or rre intvardly projecting 51 (Fig. 7 forengagingtliespiiidle'iivitiiiii an annular grooiie 52'tlierein v8), the spindle being formed lvvith verticalgrooves 53 extending' from the 'upper 'end of the spindle to :annular groye', through which the lugs 51 en y the collar are `'passed inplaciiig the collar in 'conne'ctiii iyithtlie spindle or removing it therefrom. When the collar is placed ontlie vspindle and given a partial turn to'enterhitswflugs fiiito the groove i552 Jfor locling `connectionivvith the spindle, itis adantedvto retained'vin such 6 v7,

weer elle 0f the Sedle with arins extending downwardly "th ough, the groove 53 imo the aiiulaggibbiea were its'eirds will engage'the llugs of collar mnd prevenire erheben@ naar e relasingposition registry with trie 'rfi leroores 5.3-, Itviill O'f Sb btdlisj that this same Qvr ,19e ne meilis my else be 'applied t0 thefnesufne prll 18 if, e of the latter instead oft' the stirringspiiidle as ,S110W11 c, j ,l

As hereinbefore referred to, isrdesmirable in some instances to effect anniforiri y n is'vtrilon-` tion ofthe material directly frein theArriaga',- zi-nel over a somevvhatextended surf *er in the spreading of sugar on fruit, cereals, @te TO ecolplish this librefd th niega zinefvvith a perforated.. spreader which flares loutwardly andndovvnvvardly from the magazine at the lower end lofthe lo'utlet openingl? as shovvmithis espreader prei-en` ably being lformed with its vsurface convex in kadirection transversely thereof fand terminating in Aa lovver'edgeuof substantially semi-circular form.` This' pafears be desirfpost on its figurar 'design @if 'spreader 'has been roam in practice to ybe most effective in causing a uniform spreading ofthe granular inat'erials deposited thereon by the dispensing spindles;

l Themagazinefnay be provided with 'any pens'ing sugar directly into a loire/e or tea cup vvhere it is not necessaryto spread the sugar, and the former being intended, as stated, for dispensing shgar on fruit, cereals, etc., Where it 'is desirable that the should be spread.

VVlratI claim is: 1. A dispensing device for granular niaterials, Vcomprising a magazine lia-ving an oiitletopening in its iside Wall arid a bearing post on its b'ttoin Wall provided ivithfan undercut annularshoulderin a cover for the magazineVV having an 'cgpeiiifn'gg and a rotatable stirring spindle resting at its lowerend oiilthe bearing post and haviiig its lLipper end prjecting through the opening vin the cover as a m/eansrvvhereby it may be operated5 the said spindle beingproyided With la locking finger loosely engaging Vthe annrilar shoulder on the bearin Appo'fst to ylock Vthe spindle against fvvithdrawalgfrom the magazine when the cover is place.

2. A d'spensing device for granular ina# terialsyfcoinprising magazine having an outlet opening inits side Wall and Va bearing y y' bottom Wall provided lvvith an undercutannular shoulder, a.r rotatable Stirriiig s` yidle resting oiiwtlie bearingpost, the Seid eplldl and, the iQQ'St beine. rrbvdeiL oiie vvitliya concave surface forming afso'clret and the other With convex surfacevotting said socket, yand the spindle also being providedjrith a locking linger cooperating with Athe' Vannular shoulder on .post to. lock the spindle vertically on the glatter, and 'l cover torthe magazine having an. opening through ywhich the spindle extends atitsv upper` 'end to be maintained .in locking con# nection with theloearing post.

o 3. A dispensing devicefor granular ma'- terials, comprising magazine having a socket proyided with an inletopeningfroin the. magaziri'e arid 'an outlet opening, a measuring spindle rotatably iitted, in said soiglre't having 21r pocket s'vhiftable, rotation of the '(spii'idle,` tronithe inletopening to the outlet opening, and aperforated spreader positioned to receive the material from thel outlet opening and' eifect a spreadterials, comprising a magazine having a socket provided with an inletopening from the magazine and an outlet opening'` a measuring spindle rotatably fitted in said socket and having a pocket shiftable, upon rotation of the'spindle.v from the inlet opening to the outlet opening, and a spreader positi oned to receive the material from the ort let opening and having an upper rounded surface to effect a spreading of the material received thereon. f i I 5. A dispensing device for granular materials, comprising f a magazine. having a socket provided with an inlet opening from the magazine and an outlet opening, a measuring spindle rotatably 'fitted in said socketand having a pocket shiftable, upon n rotation of the spindle, from the inlet opening to the outlet opening, and a spreader positioned to receive the material. from the Y outlet opening andhaving a downwardly inclmed surface which 1s convexin y adirection transversely thereof. Y

6.A A :dispensing device lfor granular materials, comprising a magazine having a socket provided with aninlet opening from the magazine and an outlet opening, a measuring spindle rotatably fitted in said socket and having a pocket shiftable, upon rotation of the spindle. from the inlet opening to the outlet opening, and a perforated spreader positioned to receive the material from the outlet opening and having a downwardly inclined surface which is convex in a direction transversely thereof.

7. A dispensing devicefor granular materials, comprising a magazine having a socket provided with an inlet opening from the magazine and an outlet opening, a measuring spindle rotatably fitted in said sockel' and having a pocket shiftable, upon rotation of the spindle, from the inlet opening to the outlet opening, and a perforated spreader fiaringoutwardly and downwardly from the device at kthe discharge end of thev outlet opening and terminating in an edge of semicircular form. f i 8. A dispensing device for granular materials, comprising a magazine having a vertical socket at one side thereof provided with an inlet opening from the magazine and an outlet opening, a measuring spindle rotatably fitted in said socket and having a pocket shiftable, upon rotation of the spindle, from the inlet opening to the outlet opening, a removable cover for the niagazine having an opening throughwhich the upper end of the spindle extends, means engaging the spindle and holding it in its socket during a fixed movement of rotation,

and means carried by the removable cover for confining the spindle to said fixed movement of rotation.

9. A dispensing device for granular materials, comprising a magazine having a pair of sockets, each provided with an inlet open ing from the magazine and an outlet opening, a measuring spindle rotatably fitted in each of said sockets and having a pocket shiftable, upon rotation of the spindle, from the inlet opening to the outlet opening, and a perforated spreader positioned to receive the material from one of said outlet openings and effect a spreading of the same.

10. A dispensing device for granular materials, comprisingn magazine having a pair of vertical sockets, each provided with an inlet opening from the magazine and an outlet opening, the latter being positioned above the base of the device, a measuring spindle rotatably fitted in each of said sockets and having a pocket shiftable, upon rotation of the spindle, from the inlet opening to the outlet opening, and a perforated spreader flaring outwardly and downwardly from the device at the discharge end of one of the said outlet openings. n

11. A dispensing device for granular materials, comprising a magazine having a vertical socket at one side thereof provided with an inlet opening from the magazine and and outlet opening, a measuring spindle rotatably fitted in said socket and having a pocket shiftable, upon rotation of the spindle, from the inlet opening to the outlet opening, a perforated spreader positioned to receive the material from the outlet opening and effect a spreading of the same, a rotatable stirring spindle within the magazine, a removable cover on the magazine having openings through which the upper ends of the measuring and stirring spindles project, and means for detachably locking said rotatable spindles in connection with the magazine.

12. A dispensing device for granular materials, comprising a magazine having a vertical socket provided with an inlet opening from the `magazine and an outlet opening, a measuring spindle rotatably fitted in said socket and having a pocket shiftable, upon rotation of the spindle, from the inlet openl ing to the outlet opening, said spindle being provided with an annular groove and a connecting groove extending to one end of the spindle, a fixed pin on the inner wall of the socket engaging the spindle within the annular groove therein to hold the spin-A dle against longitudinal movement, and a removable cover for the magazine having an opening through which the upper end of the spindle extends and also having a lug engaging with a shoulder on the spindle to limitl rotation of the latter and prevent the longitudinal groove therein being brought into registry with the lockingpin on the inner wall of the socket.

13. .A dispensing device for vgranular materials,l comprising a magazine having an outlet opening, a cover for the magazine outlet opening,

having an opening, a rotatable l spindle Within. themagazine having its upperA end projecting-,through the opening in the cover as' a means Vwhereby it may be operated, means for locking the kspindlein connection With one of the magazine Walls, and means carried lby the spindle for engaging the cover 'nd locking it inplace on the magazine.

14. A dispensing'device orgranular materials, comprising a magazine having a socket provided With anyinlet from the magazine and an outlet opening, a measuring spindle rotatably fitted in said socket and having a pocket shiftable, upon rotation of the spindle, from the inlet opening to the outlet opening, a stirring spindle Within the magazine, a removable cover for the magazine havingV openings through Which the upper ends of the spindles extend, locking means loosely engaging each spindle and holding itV in connection with the magazine, and locking means carried by one of the said spindles for engaging the top of the cover and locking it in place on the magazine.

15. A dispensing device for granular materials, comprising a magazine having an outlet opening, a cover for the magazine having an opening, a rotatable spindle Within the magazine having its upper end projecting through the opening in the cover, means for locking said spindle in connection With one of the magazine Walls, and means Jfor locking the cover in place on the magazine comprising said spindle khaving an annular groove adjacent the top of the cover and a vertical groove extending from the top of the spindle to said, annular groove, a collar having an invvardlyextending lug and adapted tobe placed in locking connection With the spindletor engagethe top of the cover by passing downwardly through the vertiment vvith its said lug "i cal groove in the spindle and then turning the same horizontally into the intersecting annular groove for locking connection with the spindle, and a locking member detachyably located on the upperend of the spindle With a part thereof extending into the said annular groove therein to prevent the projection on the'locking collar being brought to releasing position opposite 'the vertical groove in the spindle. Y

16. A dispensing device for granular materials, comprising a magazine having a socket provided With an inlet Jfrom the magazine and an outlet opening, a Vmeasuring spindle rotatably tted in said socket and having a pocket shiftable, upon rotation of the spindle, from the inlet opening to the a stirring spindle Within the magazine, a removable cover for the magazine having openingsk through which the upper ends of the spindles extend, locking a pocket shiftable,

means loosely engaging the stirring spindle andholding it in connection With the magazine, and locking means carried by the stirring spindle for engaging the top of the coverand locking it in place on the magazine.

17. A dispensing device for granular materials comprising magazine having a vertical socket at one side thereof provided With an inlet opening from the magazine and an outlet opening, a measuring spindle .rotatably fitted. in said socket and having a pocket shii'table, upon rotation of the spindle, from the inlet opening to the outlet opening, a removable cover for the magazine having an opening through which the upper end of the spindle extends, means engaging the spindle. and holding it in its socket during a xed movement of rotation, and means for confining the spindle to said fixed movement of rotation.

18. A dispensing device for granular materials comprising a magazine having aV socket provided With an inlet opening from the magazine and an outlet opening, a. measuring spindle rotatably itted in said socket and having a pocket shiftable, upon rotation of the spindle, from the inlet opening to the outlet opening, and locking means loosely engaging the spindle and holding it in connection with the magazine.

19. A dispensing device for granular materials comprising a magazine having a socket provided With an inlet opening from the magazine and an outlet opening, a spin-VV dle rotatably iitted in said socket and having upon rotation of the spindle, from theV inlet opening to the outlet opening, locking means loosely engaging the spindle and holding it in connection With the magazine, and a spreader for distributing the dispensed granular material.

20. A dispenser for granular materials having a magazine, a socket extending vertically within said magazine and having an inlet opening and an outlet opening, a

spindle Within said socket and having a v pocket adapted upon rotation of said spindle to be brought into registry With said openings to receive and discharge granular material, and aspreader Jfor distributingy the dispensed material.

21. A dispenser Jfor granular materials having a magazine, a socket extending vertically Within said magazine' and having "A an inlet opening and an outlet opening, a cover orsaid magazine, a spindle Within said socketand having a pocket adapted upon rotation of said spindle to be broughtv into registry with said openings to receive and discharge granular material, and a single means for conining the said spindle to a limited rotation and Which also locks the spindle in the magazine to prevent untimely Withdr avval' therefrom.v I

22, A dispenser for granular materials comprising a magazine having an outlet opening adjacent its lower end, a removable @over for said magazine, a spindle Within said magazine having a measuring pocket adapted, upon rotation of saidy spindle, to be disposed Within said magazine to receive granular material therefrom and to be brought into registry With said outlet opening to discharge the granular material 10 in said pocket, and mea-ns for preventing the granular material Within said magazine from flowing from said outlet opening during rotation of said spindle.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature. OLIVE W. LANPHERE e 

